Conveyer



April l5, 1930. H, WNER ET ALv CONVEYER Filed Jan. 14, 1929 INVE INTER-5 TTD NEY Ao ,mi

OIM, M

may@

Patented Apr. l5, 1930 HOWARD MINER AND DUNCAN GIR-ANT, OF TORONTO, OHO, ASSIGNORS TO FOLLANS- BEE BROTHERS COMPANY, OF PTTSIBRGH, PENNSYLVANIA., A CORPORATION 0F PENNSYLVANIA CONVEYER Application filed January 14, 1929.

This invention relates'broadly to conveyers, and more specifically to an apparatus for elevating metal sheets or other materials, as from a floor to the level of a furnace floor, conveyer, truck, or the like.

The primary object of the invention is to provide an apparatus whereon heavy metal sheets or the like may be elevated mechanically to the level of a furnace floor, conveyer, truck, or other elevated surfaces upon which they are to be deposited or received.

A further object is to provide an elevating device of the character mentioned which shall be automatic in its operation and from which the elevated sheets may readily be advanced to the receiving` surface.

In describing the invention in detail, reference is herein had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of the invention, illustrating` its application; Y

Figures 2 and 3 are cross sections taken on lines 2-2 and 3-3, respectively; and- Figure 4 is an enlarged longitudinal section of the control valve. Y

Referring to said drawings, 1 designates the front wall of a furnace, as an annealing or'heat treating furnace, provided with an opening 2 through which the sheets of metal to be treated are introduced, and 3 indicates a ledge or lip of the character ordinarily provided on said wall outside such opening.

Pivotally mounted on the lip 3 is the forward end of a conveyer table comprising side members 4 and a succession of rollers 5 j our-l naled on said members. Said table normally occupies an inclined position in which its outer end rests upon the forward end of a stationary support 6 which also constitutes a support for an inclined stationary conveyer table comprising a frame that includes side members 7 which seat at their lower ends upon the floor 8. Mounted in said side me1nbers 7 is a succes n ci? tellers i) wiiiicli occupy the plane of the rollers 5 when the table including the latter is in normal position and which complement said rollers 5 for forming a runway upon which sheets ofrinetal to be entered in the furnace may be readily pushed by the attendant or operator.

Serial No. 332,379.

F ixed on an end of a shaft 1() journaled on the first mentioned conveyer table adjacent to the outer end of the latter is the lower end of an arm or lever 11 which, in its upright position projects above the level of the tops of the rollers 5. Pivoted to the upper end of said lever is one end of a bar 12 which has its opposite end pivotally mounted upon the upper end of an arm or lever 13. Said lever 13 is pivoted intermediate its ends upon a suitable part of the first mentioned table adjacent to its forward end and carries upon its lower end a weight 14 whereby it is normally maintained in its upright position. In said position of' the lever 13, the latter maintains through the intermediacy of the bar 12, the lever 11 in upright position.

llVhen the operator pushes a sheet from the floor 8 to and upward over the rollers 5 and 9 past the point at which the forward end of the sheet strilres against the lever 11, the latter is thereby swung forward to the extent that it, together with the bar 12 and lever 13, is depressed below the plane of the tops of the rollers 9, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1,.thus to permit the sheet to advance unobstructedly over said rollers 9. Such movement of the lever 11 rotates the shaft 10 and swings rearwardly an arm 15 carried by the latter, thereby affecting Vrearward movement of a rod 16 connecting said arm 15 to the stein 17 of a valve 18 which is opearble within a valve-casing or housing 19 located at a suitable point and which controls the introduction o air or water under pressure within a power cylinder 20. As herein shown, said valve-casing has therein ports 21 and 22, the former for admitting to the interier of the casing the pressure fluid from a compressor' or compression tanks andthe latter for allowing the admittec fluid to pass, as through a pipe 23, to and from said power cylinder 20.

The said power cylinder is suitably 1nounted beneath has the piston rod 24.- thereof pivotally attached to said table in such manner that, when the pressure fluid is admitted to said cylinder, effected by rearward shifting of the valve 123 actuated by lowering of levers 11, as

the pivoted conveyer table and 1 fir, tu.,

49. 'ohave metal sheets pu aforesaid, the said table is elevated to the sub stantially horizontal dotted line position shown in Fig. 1.

Thus, the sheet by means of which said lever 11 was swung forwardly and which then occupies a position on the tops of the rollers of said table is elevated on the latter to a position wherein it occupies approxi.- mately the horizontal plane of the furnace lo hearth 25,'Whence'it may be pushed forward over the rollers 5 to a position within the furnace. Such pushing is readily performed by a single operator whereas it has heretofore been necessary to employ two men to lift the `'sheet and push the same into the furnace.

As the sheet rides off the bar 12, the weight 14 swings the lever 13, bar 1Q and the lever 11 to their normal elevated positions. In resuming its normal position, the lever l1 ro- 'fates the shaft 10 rearwardly, swinging the arm 15 and therod 16 forward, thus advancing the valve 18 to a position wherein the parts 21 and 22 are out of communication, one with the other, and wherein fluid within g5 the power cylinder 20 may return to the intelor` of the valve casing 1,9 andA thence exhaust to the atmosphere through a port 26.

Obviously, the release of the operating fluid from the power cylinder permits the conau '..feyer table to ravitate to-its'normal position for receivingt 1er-een another sheet to'be introduced Within the furnace.

What is claimed is In a device of the charcter described, a con- 3U .feyer having one end pivotally mountedadjacent tothe entrance door of a furnace, said conveyer having a frame and rollers mounted on said frame, said conveyer being normally disposed in anl inclined position and adapted s ied thereon from the floor, a power cylinder associated with said conveyer, a control valve for said cylinder, leverspivoted on said frame adj acentftothe opposite ends of the latter, a bar pivotally mounted at its opposite ends upon corre spending ends of said levers, means normally maintaining said levers in upright position wherein their said ends and the thereon mounted bar are elevated above the level of 5o said rollers, said levers and said bar being adapted to be moved to lowered positions by sheets advanced upon said rollers, and connections intermediate one of said levers and said control valve whereby the latter is nornally maintained closed and wherebyV movement of said levers to lowered positions effects opening of said valve for actutaing said cylinder to elevate the conveyer to horizontal position.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures.

HOWARD MINER. DUNCAN GRANT. 

